Medical treatment method

ABSTRACT

Conditions in a living body produced by injury or defective cells, such as musculo-skeletal conditions and the like, are treated by applying to the body infrared electromagnetic energy having a wavelength such that the energy is absorbed by the cells and having an amplitude that is effective to treat the condition, the energy being derived from a flow of heated air directed to an adjacent external area of the body, the wavelength being determined by the temperature of the air and the amplitude being determined by the flow rate.

This application is a Continuation-in-Part of prior application Ser. No.354,361, filed Mar. 3, 1982, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,103, issued Sept.4, 1984, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to medical treatment methods andapparatus, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for treatingconditions in a living body produced by defective cells or by injury,such as musculo-skeletal conditions and the like.

The above-identified application discloses the use of infraredelectromagnetic energy for the treatment of conditions in a living bodyproduced by defective cells, and specifically illustrates the inventionin the context of treating tumors. As disclosed therein, the infraredelectromagnetic energy is derived from a flowing fluid and is applieddirectly to the affected area by means of surgically implanted tubeswhich carry the fluid. The energy is selected to have a wavelength suchthat it is absorbed by the cells and a cellular-type resonance isproduced, and the amplitude of the energy is adjusted so as to causesubstantial destruction of defective cells without destroying healthycells.

There are, however, a number of conditions other than tumors in theliving body produced both by defective cells or by injury for whichconventional medical, surgical or chiropractic treatment methods areeither totally or partially ineffective, or otherwise disadvantageous.Among these are various musculo-skeletal conditions such as edema of ajoint, ligament, tendon, muscle or nerve, or related tissues, conditionssuch as neuralgias and arachnoiditis produced by scar tissue, andconditions produced by calcium or other deposits in joints, tendons orligaments, to mention a few. The present disclosure extends thetechniques of the prior application to the treatment of these and otherconditions produced by defective cells or injury.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides new and improved methods and apparatusfor treating conditions such as musculo-skeletal conditions and the likein living bodies by enabling the selective destruction of defectivecells with little or no damage to healthy cells and few if any adverseside effects. Advantageously, treatment methods in accordance with theinvention are non-invasive, requiring no surgical implantation of tubes,thereby avoiding the necessity for sterilization of the apparatus andthe possibilities of infection. Treatment methods in accordance with theinvention have been shown to be remarkably effective in very shortperiods of time for treating various conditions such as musculo-skeletalconditions and the like, and may be practiced with simple apparatus.

Briefly stated, in accordance with the invention, conditions in a livingbody that are produced by injury or by defective cells are treated byapplying infrared electromagnetic energy of selected wavelengths to anaffected area of the body, and adjusting the amplitude of the energy toa value that is effective to treat the condition. For conditionsproduced by defective cells, the energy amplitude is effective to causesubstantial destruction of defective cells without substantiallydestroying healthy cells. The electromagnetic energy is appliedexternally to the body by a gaseous carrier fluid having a temperatureso as to produce a temperature at the location of the condition that iswithin the normal operating temperature range of the body, and theamplitude of the energy is adjusted to the effective value by adjustingthe flow rate of the fluid that is applied at such location.

More particularly, the infrared electromagnetic energy has adistribution of wavelengths related to the absolute temperature of theflowing fluid, and the temperature is selected so as to provide adominant wavelength, in the 9-10 micron range, for example, that ismatched to the cell sizes of the living body so that the cells absorbthe energy efficiently. The amplitude of the energy is related to theflow rate of the fluid, and, in general, is porportional thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating treatment apparatus inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view partially broken away illustrating aportion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an electrical schematic diagram of the apparatus; and

FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating a preferred operating range for theapparatus of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In said prior application, it was disclosed that conditions in a livingbody produced by defective or abnormal cells could be treatedeffectively and with remarkable results by applying to the defectivecells infrared electromagnetic energy having a wavelength selected suchthat the energy is absorbed by the cells and a cellular-type resonanceis produced, and having an amplitude so as to substantially destroydefective cells without substantially destroying healthy cells. It wastheorized therein that under normal conditions, the cells within aliving body absorb infrared electromagnetic energy derived from theblood flowing through the blood vessels. The infrared electromagneticenergy passes through the blood vessel walls to the cells, and isbelieved to supply the major energy requirements of the cells. Thewavelength of the energy is related (by Wien's Law) to the absolutetemperature of the blood, and has a dominant wavelength determined bythe average blood temperature and a wavelength distribution about thedominant wavelength due to blood temperature variations. The amplitudeof the energy supplied to the cells is porportional to the blood flowrate. The normal operating temperature range of the human body may beconsidered to be approximately 96° F. to 104° F. which corresponds to aninfrared electromagnetic energy wavelength of approximately 9.25 to 9.38microns. The energy passes through the blood vessel walls and isabsorbed by the cells. It causes the cells to expand and resonate at afrequency dependent upon the cell dimensions, thus providing a workpotential. Good or healthy cells have thin outer walls, are highlyelastic, and are tightly bound to other good cells. As a result, theenergy is distributed or amortized over large numbers of cells, andexternally applied energy may actually be used to beneficially energizehealthy cells. If the energy supplied to the cells becomes too great,the cells may be unable to absorb the energy and may be destroyed bybreaking of the cell wall and/or the nucleus.

Defective cells include alien cells taken into the body, e.g., viruses,as well as cells produced by the body, and are generally being destroyedrapidly by the ambient energy within the body. Defective cells producedby the body are generally about the same size as the good cells of thespecific organ or tissue that produces them. Thus, they absorb energy atabout the same wavelengths as good cells and resonate at about the samefrequencies. However, defective cells generally have thicker walls thando good cells, are not as elastic, and are more loosely bound to eachother than are good cells. As a result, defective cells are unable towithstand as high an energy level as good cells, and, in fact, arecapable of being destroyed at energy levels which beneficially energizehealthy cells. Thus, conditions within a living body that are producedby defective cells may be effectively treated by applying to an affectedarea of the body external infrared electromagnetic energy having awavelength such that it is absorbed by the cells within the affectedarea and having an energy amplitude high enough to cause selectivedestruction of defective cells without causing damage to healthy cells.The defective cells, which do not have the same elasticity or tightinter-cell bonds as good cells, are unable to absorb all of theexternally applied energy and are destroyed.

In the prior application, these principles were applied to the treatmentof cancerous tumors with remarkably effective results. There, the energywas derived from a flowing fluid and was applied to the tumor either bypassing water or other fluid of an appropriate temperature and flow ratethrough a surgically implanted tube adjacent to the tumor, or by passingair of the appropriate temperature and flow rate over the tumor, andthen withdrawing the air from the body, also using surgically implantedtubes adjacent to the tumor.

Although significant results are achieved, the previously describedtreatment methods and apparatus have the disadvantage of being invasivetechniques. As will be described shortly, a simpler, non-invasivetechnique has been found for applying external infrared electromagneticenergy to an affected area body. In addition to treating tumors, thetechnique has been found to be particularly effective for treatingvarious other conditions produced by defective cells in a living body orby injury. Musculo-skeletal conditions which have been found to beparticularly susceptible to treatment include chronic arthritis orbursitis of joints, tendonitis, epicondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis,fibromyositis, contractures, myositis, edema of intravertebral discs orassociated tissues, neuralgias and arachnoiditis or similar conditionsdue to post-surgical scar tissue formation, acute sprains, andconditions due to the formation of calcium deposits in joints. Theinvention has also been found to be remarkably effective in dissolvingscar tissue, in energizing healthy cells to promote healing and toprovide organ stimulation or skin rejuvenation, in forcing excess liquidfrom cells to prevent or reduce swelling due to inflammation or injury,in affording rapid blood coagulation to control bleeding of open cuts orwounds, and in treating various respiratory conditions such as colds orflu. These and other conditions have been treated very successfullyutilizing the principals of the invention, as will be describedhereinafter. First, however, improved apparatus and methods for treatingsuch conditions will be described. Then, examples of actual treatmentswill be presented.

FIG. 1 illustrates the external appearance of a preferred form of atreatment apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention. As shown, theapparatus may comprise a treatment unit 12 for supplying infraredelectromagnetic energy via a nozzle 14, as will be described shortly.The treatment unit may be carried on an upright portion 16 of a moveablestand or cart 18 having rollers 19 so that the stand may be easilymoved, and formed to enable the treatment unit to be raised and loweredeasily. The treatment unit may be supported on the upright portion by apair of horizontal members 20 connected to corresponding slideableplates 22 disposed within vertical channels 24 on opposite sides ofupright portion 16 (only one horizontal member 20, slideable plate 22and vertical channel 24 being illustrated in the figure). The slideableplates 22 may be connected, as by cables 26, to counterweights (notillustrated) disposed within the interior of upright portion 16 of thestand, or to some other well-known mechanism, e.g., a hand crank, so asto enable the vertical position of the treatment unit to be variedeasily. The treatment unit may be pivotally connected to the horizontalmembers 20 so as to enable the treatment unit to be rotated(counterclockwise in the figure from the horizontal positon shown) abouta horizontal axis A--A. Preferably, the treatment unit is rotatablethrough an angle of 90°, and the stand may include a latch arrangement(which may be of conventional design) controlled by a rod 30 connectedto an operating handle 32 so as to enable the treatment unit to belatched at a desired rotational position. Handles 34 and 36 may belocated on the treatment unit to facilitate its positioning. Theforegoing arrangement conveniently enables the treatment unit to bemoved about and readily positioned to permit treatment of an affectedarea of the body.

Treatment unit 12 is designed to apply infrared electromagnetic energyto a localized external area of the body adjacent to an area containingdefective cells. The energy is applied via nozzle 14 by a heated gaseouscarrier fluid, e.g., air, having a temperature so as to produce adesired internal body temperature at the affected area that is withinthe normal operating temperature range of the body. The amplitude of theenergy applied is adjusted by adjusting the flow rate of the gaseousfluid to a value that is effective to substantially destroy defectivecells without substantially destroying healthy cells. Operating controlsand indicators for the treatment unit may be included on a front panel38 thereof. FIG. 2, which shows some of the internal components of thetreatment unit, illustrates a preferred arrangement for deriving aheated air flow, and FIG. 3 is an electrical schematic diagram of thetreatment unit.

As shown in FIG. 2, the treatment unit may include a blower 40 and anassociated drive motor 42 arranged to produce an air flow through nozzle14. The blower, which preferably has a capacity of the order of 540cubic feet per minute (CFM) may be a Dayton Model 2C820 blower, and theblower motor may be a Dayton Model 5K586 motor. Inlet air to the blowerpasses through a cylindrical member 44 in which is disposed a pair ofheating coils 46 and 48 which heat the inlet air. Heating coil 46 may bea 9.9 ohm/1300 watt coil, and heating coil 48 may be an 8.8 ohm/1400watt coil. As shown in FIG. 3, a switch 50, which may be disposed on thefront panel of the treatment unit, enables either of the heating coilsto be selected. Heating coil 46 may be employed when the ambienttemperature in the treatment room is normal, and heating coil 48, whichproduces somewhat greater heat, may be employed when the ambienttemperature is cool. The heating coils may be controlled by anadjustable thermostat (such as a Robert Z91712-00-24) comprising anelongated element 52 disposed within nozzle 14 and connected to avariable temperature controller 54 which may be disposed on the frontpanel of the treatment unit. The thermostat measures the temperature ofthe air flowing through nozzle 14 and, as indicated in FIG. 3, cycles ACpower to the selected heating coil so as to maintain a desired airtemperature. An indicator, such as a pilot light 56 connected asindicated in FIG. 3, may be disposed on the front panel to indicate thecycling of the heater coil.

Heat from blower motor 42 may also be used to assist in heating theinlet air to the blower. As shown in FIG. 2, a heat duct 60, as offlexible ducting material, may have one end connected to the blowermotor and another end disposed about the inlet opening of a smallerdiameter right-angled tubular member 62 connected to cylindrical member44. This creates a venturi effect that pulls heat from the motor intothe inlet of the blower, thereby enabling heat which would otherwise bewasted to be usefully employed.

As further shown in FIG. 3, the treatment unit may also include avariable electrical timer 66 disposed on the front panel and arranged tocontrol an indicator (not shown), such as an alarm, for timing thelength of a treatment. An ON-OFF switch 68 for controlling power to theunit and an indicator light 70 may also be included on the front panelof the unit. To enable the air flow produced by the treatment unit to bevaried, an adjustable air baffle 72 (shown in phantom lines) may bedisposed at the inlet of cylindrical member 44, or, alternatively, avariable speed blower motor may be employed.

In operation, a desired outlet air temperature and flow rate is set, andthe treatment unit is positioned such that the outlet air from thenozzle is directed perpendicular onto the bare skin at an external areaof the body adjacent to an internal area which is to be treated and suchthat the outlet of the nozzle is a predetermined distance from the body.The energy penetrates to the internal area through the skin pores and byresonating the cells in the skin. The operating parameters of thetreatment unit, which include air temperature and flow rate, distancebetween the body and the outlet of the nozzle, and the treatment time,may be selected in accordance with the type of condition treated.Preferred operating parameters and ranges are as follows.

The wavelength of the energy applied to the affected area is determinedby the outlet air temperature from the nozzle, and the energy amplitudeis determined by the flow rate. It is desired that the temperature atthe point of treatment be in the normal range of 96°104° F. with amedian temperature of the order of 102°-104° F. for treating mostconditions. Since bone cells tend to be somewhat smaller than tissuecells, conditions such as arthritis tend to respond better totemperatures in the upper portion of the range and a median temperatureof 104° F. is preferred for treating bone conditions. To provide adesired temperature at the point of treatment, the outlet airtemperature is measured at the nozzle outlet, as with a digitalthermometer (not illustrated), until the temperature stabilizes at thedesired value. The temperature is adjusted to be somewhat higher thanthe desired internal temperature to accommodate for temperature lossesbetween the outlet of the nozzle and the point of treatment. In humans,there is approximately a 2.6° F. differential between skin and internalbody temperature. Also, there is a 1°-2° F. temperature loss between theoutlet of the nozzle and the skin for typical treatment distances of theorder of 3-8 inches. Accordingly, the thermostat may be set to providean outlet air temperature of the order of 3°-5° F. greater than thatdesired at the point of treatment. The thermostat is preferablyadjustable over a range of about 98°-108° F. and is preferably capableof holding the outlet air temperature to within about ±1°-1.5° F. Duringa treatment, the outlet air temperature may be checked periodically toensure it remains at the desired setting. Significantly, the treatmenttemperatures employed by the invention are within the normal operatingtemperature range of the body, in contrast to known hyperthermictreatment methods such as diathermy and similar methods.

For a given size nozzle opening, energy amplitude varies with flow rateand in general is porportional thereto. Preferably, the flow rate and/ornozzle size is selected so as to provide a flow rate per unit area inthe range of 46 CFM/sq.in. to 150 CFM/sq.in. This operating range isillustrated in the graph of FIG. 4 as the area between the two lineslabeled 46 CFM/sq.in. and, 150 CFM/sq.in. For a nozzle diameter of 2.315inches (area approximately 4.2 sq.in.) and a 540 CFM blower, a flow rateper unit area of the order of 128.3 CFM/sq.in. may be obtained, asindicated. By holding the nozzle diameter constant and controlling theflow rate, the operating point will move along the horizontal dottedline. Several different operating points at which the invention has beenoperated are shown in the figure. In general, it has been found that theresults obtained improve as the flow rate per unit area increases. Belowapproximately 46 CFM/sq.in., energy amplitude is too low to be effectiveand in some instances may actually promote the growth of defectivecells, as in tumors, for example. Above approximately 150 CFM/sq.in.,experiments on mice and chickens have shown some evidence of good celldamage, and above this value there exists the possibility of good celldamage in humans. Energy amplitudes corresponding to flow rates per unitarea near the lower end of the range have been found effective, forexample, for stopping bleeding and for treating certain respiratoryconditions. For musculo-skeletal conditions, excellent results have beenobtained in the range of 125-130 CFM/sq.in., and this is the mostpreferred range for treating such conditions.

Typical treatment distances between the outlet of the nozzle and thebody may be of the order of 3-8 inches with 31/2-61/2 inches being theaverage, and typical treatment times are in the range of one to twohours with one and one-half hours being the average although treatmenttimes as small as 10 minutes and as high as 16 hours may be used. Ingeneral, the greater the treatment time, the greater the penetrationdepth. A treatment time of one and one-half hours is sufficient to givea penetration depth of the order of two to three and one-half inches.Respiratory conditions have been treated successfully using treatmentdistances of the order of 15-18 inches from the nose or as close as 6inches from the chest, treatment times of the order of 10-30 minutes,and outlet air temperatures of the order of 101°-102° F. To promoteblood coagulation to stop bleeding of open cuts or wounds, treatmentdistances of 15-18 inches, temperatures of 101°-102° F., and treatmenttimes of 1-10 minutes are preferred. Although positive results aretypically seen following one treatment, if additional treatments arenecessary, three to five days between treatments is preferred. Thisgives the body time to clear out defective cells which have beendestroyed. Moreover, the effects of a single treatment have beenobserved to continue over a period of several days. For acuteconditions, such as broken bones, treatments may, however, be givendaily for several times to speed the healing process.

The following Examples detail actual treatments of individuals sufferingfrom a variety of conditions, and illustrate the remarkable resultsafforded by the invention. Treatment parameters were in the previouslygiven preferred ranges.

EXAMPLE I

Patient I, a 42 year old female, suffered a lower back injury and wasadmitted to the hospital where she was diagnosed as having a strainedmuscle that would require several weeks of hospital bed rest. Afterthree weeks of bed rest with no therapy, her right leg swellednoticeably and became numb. Examinations revealed a swollen or protudedL-5 disc, with a posterior rupture of the annulus fibers of theintervertebral disc and with possible extrusion of the nuclues polposusinto the sub-arachnoid space of L-5. Chiropractic care wasnon-productive, and the extruded parts were subsequently removed bysurgery. Two months later the symptoms reappeared. The patient was toldthat the reason was the formation of scar tissue around the incision,and she was advised that she would have to live with the symptoms. Shewas listed as 30% permanently disabled.

At the time of treatment, the patient suffered numbness in the right legand swelling from the hip to the foot, as well as pain in the lowerback, especially during motion or prolonged sitting.

She was treated in accordance with the invention over the L-4, 5 and S-1interspinous space and approximately two inches to either side of thespine. The treatment duration was two hours.

Following the treatment, there was a significant improvement in mobilityof the lower back, decreased pain, and a feeling of exhilaration. Thefollowing day the pain had subsided, and good range of motion continued.She was retreated one week later in the L-5 area, which resulted in acomplete arrest of her symptoms.

EXAMPLE II

Patient II, a 47 year old female, suffered degenerative disc disease ofC-5 with brachial neuralgis to the left arm. At times, she sufferedextreme pain in the neck, left shoulder, and left arm, which preventedsleep, and she exhibited a restricted range (50% decrease) of motion ofthe cervical spine.

She was treated in accordance with the invention in the C-5, 6 and 7 andin the left supra scapular regions. Treatment time was one and one-halfhours. One treatment was sufficient to give complete relief of symptomsand no reoccurrences have been reported.

EXAMPLE III

Patient III, a 44 year old female, experienced chronic lumbo-sacral painfor a number of years, for which chiropractic treatments wereineffective. She experienced dull to sharp pains over the L-5 and S-1area early in the morning and after sitting for short periods. X-raysrevealed a very hyperlordotic lumbar curve with the articular facets ofL-5 and S-1 being jammed together and weight-bearing. The facetsdisplayed early hypertropic changes of arthritis.

She was treated in accordance with the invention for a period of abouttwo hours. The treatment area was the facets of L-5 and S-1, which weretreated from the posterior. Following treatment, the pain stopped andcontinued abated for a month. Approximately five weeks after the firsttreatment, she was again treated in the L-3, 4 and 5 area for a periodof one hour and twenty minutes. There has been no return of symptoms.

EXAMPLE IV

Patient IV, a 42 year old male, suffered a lower back injury whichresulted in rupturing of the L-5 disc. He underwent surgery for removalof the extruded parts, but within a few months his previous symptomsreappeared. He subsequently underwent additional surgery for removal ofscar tissue trapping the L-5 nerve root. Six weeks after the secondsurgery, the symptoms again reappeared and became progressively worse.He experienced constant pain in L-5 area, and down the right leg intothe foot. Occasionally there would be sharp shooting pains down the leftleg also. The right leg became very weak and exhibited a notabledecrease in calf size. X-rays confirmed a narrowed L-5 disc space withhypertropic degenerative changes present on the L-5 vertebral bodymargins as well as the sacral base. There was a total loss of toestrength in the right foot, with no feeling present from the ankle down.The right angle was also tender to the touch.

He was treated in accordance with the invention for approximately twohours in the L-4, 5 and S-1 areas from the posterior. Following thetreatment, he began to have feeling in the toes of his right foot. HisAchilles and popliteal regions were tender, and knee and ankle reflexesbecame equal in both legs. The pain in his right leg subsided, but therewas a small muscle twitch in the leg for approximately 72 hours aftertreatment. Approximately a week later, he experienced minor pain in theleft hip, right lumbar area, and distal to the right knee. He was givena second treatment in the same area for approximately two hours. Afterthe second treatment, all pain subsided, Laseque tests were negativebilaterally, and he had a full range of motion.

EXAMPLE V

Patient V, a 49 year old male, suffered an acute intervertebral discsyndrome while working, and began to experience sharp lower back painswith pain and numbness in the left leg extending to the toes. He wasunable to ambulate normally, and walked with an antalagic postureanteriorly and to the right. Arising from a sitting position wasextremely difficult, as was sitting for more than a few minutes. X-raysrevealed that the L-4 vertebral body was tilted dramatically to theright, causing welding of the L-4 and 5 discs. The lumbar spine was bentsharply to the right and kyphotic. The entire lumbar musculatureexperienced spasms and was tender to the touch. There was extreme painproduced to digital pressure over the L-4 and 5 interspace. Pain wastraceable over the sciatic nerve to the heal of the left foot.

The patient was treated in the L-4 and 5 disc space from the posterior,with the patient in a side posture position. Treatment duration wasapproximately two hours. Immediately after treatment, the patient wasable to get up and walk with little discomfort, and was able to bendover and touch his toes. There has been no reoccurrence of symptoms.

EXAMPLE VI

Patient VI, a 45 year old female, suffered from chronic recurrent lumbarpains caused by a left lumbar scoliosis. Chiropractic care had providedonly temporary relief. She experienced continuous pain in her lowerback, which interfered with sleep. X-rays revealed a mild leftlumbo-dorsal scoliosis with the sacrum being tilted 4° high on theright. Her lumbar lordosis was reversed and there were asymmetricalfacets between L-5 and S-1. The sciatic nerve was tender to her leftfoot, and her range of motion was normal.

She was treated for approximately an hour and one-half in the area ofL-3, 4, 5 and S-1 joints. Following treatment, all pain was gone. Sheexperienced some edema in her left thigh during the first nightfollowing treatment. The next day, the back pain was gone but the legpain began to return slowly. She was given two additional treatments inthe area between the sacral notch and the head of the femur. The painabated after each treatment, but returned within approximately fourweeks, although it was minor compared to the original pain andmanifested itself as an intermittent soreness.

EXAMPLE VII

Patient VII, a 43 year old female, suffered from chronic lower back andhip pains due to a degenerative L-5 disc. X-rays of the lower backrevealed a narrowed L-5 disc space with osteophytosis and eburnationpresent on the L-5 and sacral base. There was also an area of asthesiaon the right posterior thigh centrally located.

She was treated in accordance with the invention for approximately twohours in an area centered over L-5. Following the treatment, the L-5area was completely numb, and stiffness and pain had abated. A moderateamount of pain returned to the lumbo-sacral area, and a second treatmentwas given approximately six weeks later, which has provided completerelief from symptoms.

EXAMPLE VIII

Patient VIII, a 60 year old female, experienced severe arthritic painsin both knees. She was unable to bend her right knee fully, and sittingfor a few minutes, or walking or standing for any extended period becameextremely difficult due to pain. Walking over fifteen minutes caused herknee to swell and become stiff. She experienced pain in the right kneejoint, with attendant endema from about two inches above and below thepatella. X-rays of the right knee revealed that the joint spacecompromised on the medial half with a moderate increase in density ofthe femoral, tibial and fibular articular surfaces. The anteriorinferior patella ligament showed a calcific density arising from thesuperior portion of the anterior tibial tuberosity.

The right knee joint space and surrounding area was treated inaccordance with the invention for approximately two hours. The air wasaimed into a ninety degree flexed knee, anterior to posterior.Immediately following treatment, the knee had complete freedom ofmovement, the pain was gone, and the swelling began to decrease. Threeweeks after treatment, X-rays showed that the calcific spur was fiftyper cent dissolved. Later X-rays showed it to be seventy-five per centdissipated. She has continued to have complete use of the knee with nopain whatsoever.

Approximately a week following the first treatment, her left knee wastreated for stiffness, joint noise, pain and swelling. Treatmentduration was approximately two hours, with the air aimed from anteriorto posterior through the ninety degree flexed knee joint. Followingtreatment, there was a decrease in endema and freedom from pain. Therehas been no reoccurrence of the symptoms.

EXAMPLE IX

Patient IX, a 43 year old female, began suffering from right brachialneuritis which prevented her from raising her arm and interferred withsleep. The condition progressed from mild neck pain to full blownneuralgias within a short period of time. X-rays revealed a reversedcervical curve with C-4 at the apex. Pain was traceable to the C-5, 6and 7 nerve roots extending into the right arm and hand. Her neck wassemi-rigid due to chronic paraspinal muscle spasms. The trapezius wasspastic bilaterally and the right levator scapulae attachment to thescapula seemed to be a trigger point for pain. The grip strength in herright hand was reduced approximately eighty per cent.

She was treated in accordance with the invention in the C-4, 5, 6 and 7areas from the posterior aimed superior to the inferior at a 45° angle.Treatment duration was one and a half hours. The right upper scapularwas also treated.

Immediately following treatment, all pain and stiffness was gone, andthe right shoulder exhibited a normal range of motion. Approximately aweek later, some pain returned to the cervical spine and right elbow,which was relieved by manipulations of the cervical region. There hasbeen no reoccurrence of symptoms.

EXAMPLE X

Patient X, a 42 year old female, suffered from a generalized neuralgiasaffecting many parts of her body, especially the limbs. She experiencedburning-type pains after any physical exertion. She had been told thatshe had a liver problem which interfered with production of the properprotein coverings for the peripheral nerves.

She was treated in the area of the liver from the right side for aduration of approximately two hours. Within a week after treatment, allpain had abated and there has been no return of symptoms.

EXAMPLE XI

Patient XI, a 27 year old male, had been involved in a motorcycleaccident which crushed his first and second lumbar vertebral bodies,leaving an acute kyphosis in the area. He underwent approximately fiveyears of physical and rehabilitation therapy and was considered aparaplegic, requiring the use of a wheelchair and/or crutches with athigh length leg brace on the left leg and knee length brace on theright leg. He experienced pain in the upper lumbar area daily, and hadpains in his calf below his left knee and in both knee joints. Thesepains appeared to be of an arthritic nature. X-rays revealed a crushedL-1 vertebral body, juxtapositioned posteriorly to T-12 and L-2. Therewas fusion of T-12, L-1 and L-2 by osteophytosis of the bodies, and theposterior facets were arthritic and appeared intact, though grosslyposterior at L-1. The L-1 vertebral body was wedged anteriorly withtotal loss of disc height above and below it, causing an acute kyphosisof the lumbo-dorsal spine. Each leg was totally atrophied from themiddle thigh. There was no muscle tone or reflexes in the knees or lowerlegs, and there was absence of feeling except for very slight deeppressure responses. The left knee had a large raised area over themedial phemeral condyle. X-rays of the left knee showed calcificinfiltrations of most tendons in the area.

The patient was given several treatments in accordance with theinvention. The first treatment, which lasted for approximately two and aquarter hours, covered the areas of T-12, L-1, L-2 and L-3 over andabove two inches to each side of the spine. Toward the end of thetreatment, he experienced a tingling in his feet and what he describedas a sensation that his feet were beginning to swell. Shortly before theend of the treatment, he experienced a sharp pain in his posteriorthighs and feet. Immediately after treatment, he experienced severeintestinal cramps and groin pains with nausea. These lasted for slightlymore than an hour, at which point all pain subsided. Approximately fourdays after the treatment, he as able to pull his right lower legbackwards for the first time since his accident, and reported anoccasional pain in his right thigh.

A second treatment was given one week following the first treatment inthe area of T-12, L-1, 2 and 3. Treatment duration was two hours. Aftertreatment, the patient was able to move his left lower leg backwardsslightly, and was able to flex his right foot against slight resistancefor the first time. He experienced no pain and felt very relaxed.

A third treatment was given approximately one week later in the samearea. The duration was one and one-half hours. Approximately one-halfhour into the treatment, he described a strong tingling sensation fromhis back to his feet, which lasted throughout the rest of the treatment.He again suffered intestinal cramps immediately afterwards, but theywere mild and lasted for only a short period of time. There had beentenderness in the soles of his feet before the treatment, which wasrelieved. He was able to feel light touch in his entire right leg, andreported that his right leg could now pull up twenty-five pounds inlower leg extension using home exercise equipment. Approximately twoweeks later he reported that he was able to lock and balance on hisright leg without a brace, which had previously been impossible. Theleft knee could still not be locked while standing erect and supporthim. His right foot, however, was becoming stronger in plantar flexion.

He was given a fourth treatment in the left knee area approximatelythree weeks following the third treatment. Treatment duration was oneand one-half hours. The air was aimed at the flexed knee joint from amedial to lateral angle of approximately sixty degrees to ensuretreating the femoral area. There were occasional sharp pain sensationsinto the calf area and the foot during the last half of the treatment,and the bottom of his foot experienced noticeable tingling sensationsthroughout the treatment. Immediately after the treatment, he was ableto stand and lock the left knee. There was considerable joint noise onmovement, especially in the sub patellar region.

As a result of the treatments, the patient regained much of the use ofhis right leg, and is now able to stand on the right leg with a brace.The brace extends only to just inferior of the knee and is principallyfor ankle stabilization. The right calf muscles have exhibited adramatic improvement in size and strength. The left leg, although stillweak, exhibited slow improvement following the treatments. Thesensations of light touch have returned to the right leg, but not to theleft, and the patient is now able to walk using only one crutch in theleft hand and a brace. There has been no return of any of the pain.

EXAMPLE XII

This patient suffered from chronic rheumatoid arthritis for a period oftwenty-seven years resulting in her hands being curled, partlydisjointed, and badly deformed with hugh protruding nodules and chronicpain which significantly interfered with the use of her hands. She alsohad nodules on her feet which made walking or standing difficult.

She received a total of six treatments of one and one-half hours each,three treatments on both hands together, two on her right foot, and oneon her left foot. After each treatment, noticeable receeding of the oldchronic nodules was evident, and there was a significant reduction inpain. After the six treatments, most of the nodules disappeared and sheregained almost complete flexibility of her hands and the ability towalk or stand without pain in her feet.

EXAMPLE XIII

This patient also suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for many years, andhad chronic nodules and overgrown joints on both hands with associatedchronic pain.

She had a total of five treatments. After the second treatment, the painwas gone in both hands, circulation was improved, and a noticeablereduction in the size of the nodules occurred. Continued treatmentsafforded still further improvement, and there has been no return ofsymptoms.

An interesting sidelight occurred during the treatments. The patient hada large scar which was many years old on the palm of one hand under theindex finger. The scar protruded outwardly approximately 1/8 inch, andthrough the years had remained tender. After the third treatment, thescar and the associated tenderness had almost completely disappeared.

EXAMPLE XIV

The patient was a fourteen year old girl who, as a result of surgery,had a large ugly scar on the distal part of her left femur just abovethe knee. The scar was about a year old, was purple in color, and oneend protruded outwardly noticeably. She was unable to walk for anysustained period without pain due to adhesions in the muscle surroundingthe scar, which caused her to limp after routine movements and preventedher from participating in sports.

She received a total of four treatments on the scar. After the thirdtreatment, the scar had turned brown, the protruding portion whichpreviously had been a hard knot turned soft, and the pain waseliminated. As a result of the treatments, the scar tissue on thesurface of the leg and adhesions under the surface which were causingthe pain were substantially dissolved, enabling her to engage instrenuous exercise without pain. There has been no reoccurrence ofsymptoms.

EXAMPLE XV

The invention was employed for the treatment of seven different cases ofacute sprains resulting from sports injuries. The sprains included fiveankle sprains, one elbow sprain and one finger sprain. The ankle sprainsvaried from chronic recurrent to acute moderate, and were treated withinhours of the injury and again on the following day. Treatment timesvaried between 45 minutes and one and one-half hours. In general, asignificant decrease in pain was noted after the first treatment, andfollowing the second treatment all edema and pain had been eliminated,enabling the patients to return to sports within two days following theoriginal injury. The elbow and finger sprains were healed after onetreatment.

The foregoing Examples are merely illustrative of a few of the varioustypes of conditions which may be treated in accordance with theinvention, and they demonstrate vividly the remarkable resultsobtainable using the invention. For many of the patients described inthe foregoing Examples, conventional surgical, medical or chiropractictreatment methods had been ineffective or only partially effective. Incontrast, treatment methods in accordance with the invention, which arenon-invasive and require only rather simple apparatus, have beenremarkably effective in treating conditions such as these, as well asother conditions in a living body produced by injury or by defectivecells.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made in this embodiment without departing from theprinciples and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined inthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of treating a condition in a living bodycomprising applying to an area of the body in which said condition islocated infrared electromagnetic energy having a wavelength such thatthe energy is absorbed by body cells in said area, the energy beingderived from a flowing gas that is applied externally to the bodyadjacent to said area, adjusting the temperature of the gas applied tothe body to a value of approximately 108° F. or less so as to produce atsaid area an internal temperature within the normal temperatureoperating range of the body, the wavelength of the energy beingdetermined by said internal temperature, and adjusting the amplitude ofthe energy, by adjusting the flow rate of the gas, to a value that iseffective to treat said condition.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinsaid condition is produced by defective cells, and the amplitude of theenergy is adjusted to a value that is effective to destroy the defectivecells without substantially destroying healthy cells.
 3. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising employing said energy for energizing healthycells in said area.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy isselected to have a wavelength so as to produce a cellular-typeresonance.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wavelength is in thenine to ten micron range and said normal operating temperature range isof the order of 96°-104° F.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein saidinternal temperature has a median value of the order of 102°-104° F. 7.The method of claim 1, wherein said condition is a musculo-skeletalcondition.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said condition comprisesscar tissue accumulation and said treating comprises dissolving the scartissue.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said condition is one producedby injury.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said condition is arespiratory condition.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said gas isair, and said applying comprises directing heated air onto the bodysubstantially perpendicular thereto at an external location adjacent tosaid area.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said air has atemperature greater than the desired internal temperature by an amountat least equal to a skin-to-internal temperature differential of thebody.
 13. A method of treating a condition in a living body by usingapparatus for applying to the body infrared electromagnetic energyhaving a wavelength such that the energy is absorbed by body cells andhaving an amplitude that is effective to treat said condition, theenergy being derived from a gas flow that is applied to an externallocation of a body adjacent to an area containing the condition, theapparatus comprising means for producing a gas flow; means for directingthe gas flow to a desired location; heater means for heating the gasflow; temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of saidgas flow; and means responsive to the temperature measuring means forcontrolling the heater means so as to maintain a desired temperature ofthe gas flow, said method comprising directing, using said directingmeans, the gas flow to said external location of the body, andmaintaining, using said controlling means, the temperature of the gasflow applied to the external location of the body at approximately 108°F. or less and so as to produce a predetermined internal temperature insaid area containing the condition, the predetermined internaltemperature being related to said gas flow temperature.
 14. The methodof claim 13, wherein said condition is produced by defective cells, andthe method comprises adjusting the amplitude of the energy to a valuethat is effective to destroy the defective cells without substantiallydestroying healthy cells by controlling said producing means to afford apredetermined gas flow rate.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein saidmaintaining comprises maintaining the gas temperature such that thepredetermined internal body temperature is in the range of 96° F. to104° F. the internal temperature defining the wavelength of the energy.16. The method of claim 15, wherein said maintaining comprisesmaintaining the internal body temperature to have a median value in therange of 102°-104° F.
 17. The method of claim 13, wherein the amplitudeof said energy is related to the flow rate of said gas, and wherein theapparatus includes means for controlling the gas flow rate, and saidmethod comprises controlling the gas flow rate controlling means so asto produce a predetermined gas flow rate.
 18. The method of claim 17,wherein said controlling comprises controlling the gas flow to have avalue in the range of 46 CFM/sq.in. to 150 CFM/sq.in.
 19. The method ofclaim 18, wherein said controlling comprises controlling the gas flow tobe in the range of 125 CFM/sq.in. to 130 CFM/sq.in.
 20. The method ofclaim 17, wherein said gas flow producing means comprises a blowerdriven by a motor, said directing means comprises a nozzle positioned onan outlet of the blower, and the gas flow rate and gas temperature aremeasured at the outlet of the nozzle, and wherein said maintainingcomprises maintaining the gas temperature at the nozzle outlet at apredetermined value, and said controlling comprises controlling saidmotor.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein said heater means is disposedat an inlet of said blower for heating the inlet gas thereto, andwherein said maintaining comprises controlling the heater meanscontrolling means so as to provide a gas temperature in the range of 98°F. to 108° F.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein said heater meanscomprises heating coils disposed within a member positioned at the inletof the blower, and means for supplying to said member heat produced bythe motor, and wherein said maintaining comprises controlling electricalcurrent to said coils.
 23. The method of claim 22, wherein saidsupplying means comprises a duct connected to the motor and having anopposite end positioned about a tubular inlet of the member that has asmaller size than the duct, and wherein said maintaining comprisesdrawing heat from the motor through the duct.
 24. The method of claim13, wherein said applying comprises applying said energy for apredetermined period of time.